From the Channel 4 News team a look at young female hip hop artists in Pakistan…
Unreported World this week is in Pakistan with the young female hip hop artists trying to thrive in what were once Karachi’s most deadly neighbourhoods.Reporter Madeeha Syed discovers the risks that women take when they embrace western-inspired music.
Lyari was well known as a lawless hotbed of Karachi gangsters and violent crime, until the army was sent in to it clean up. Now a generation of young rappers are turning away from the gangs, capitalising on the area’s relative calm, and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
Rising star Eva B had a song that featured in Disney’s Marvel series. Syed meets her as she records her latest album. As the first woman in Pakistan to rap openly, Eva B stills wears the Niqab while performing – as a trade-off that allows her to rap on the issues that she cares about.
Young female hijabi rapper AK Sky and fellow rappers Asif Bali and Kaki Thousand are auditioning to make their big career advance. Unlike Eva B, AK Sky shows her face while performing, which draws in fans, as well as fierce critics. The 19-year-old is in a make-or-break moment of her career, as she navigates the politics of her conservative neighbourhood, the requirements of family, and religious opposition to her chosen life.
